BROOKLYN — The New Jersey City University softball team EXPLODED for 29 total runs over a pair of five-inning victories tonight, Wednesday, March 23, as the Gothic Knights posted back-to-back two-hit shutout wins over Brooklyn College. The Gothic Knights scored 18 times in game two, which are the most runs NJCU has totaled in a single game dating back to March 17, 2016, when the squad also put up 18 against the Bulldogs and combined for 31 runs in that day's doubleheader sweep.

Jersey City (5-9) now has as many victories this season as the squad had during the entirety of the 2019 campaign (5-33). The Gothic Knights have also surpassed 2018's win total of four victories. Tonight against the Bulldogs (0-4), sophomore pitchers Sam Miller (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) and Sidnie Dabbadie (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs) tossed back-to-back two-hit, complete-game shutouts to improve to 2-4 and 3-1, respectively. Additionally, Dabbadie's ERA drops to 1.88 and she now has 36 strikeouts on the season (9.69 Ks/seven innings), while Miller drops her ERA to 3.90. Offensively, many Green and Gold hitters had career days, however senior captain first baseman Emma Herrick (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) had a DAY — she went 7-for-8 at the plate, including four doubles to knock in four runs and also scored six of her own. With this performance, Herrick's batting average jumped from .259 to a team-best .400 on the season.

Game 1: NJCU 11, Brooklyn 0 (5 innings)
Things got started with a bang in this one as NJCU opened up the day with a five-run top of the first inning. After senior outfielder Katherine Ayala (Jersey City, N.J./University Academy Charter) opened the scoring on a wild pitch, followed by Herrick reaching home on an error, sophomore third baseman Mariah Villanueva (Jersey City, N.J./McNair Academic) walked in a bases-loaded RBI. Her younger sister in the DP spot, freshman Mya Villanueva (Jersey City, N.J./McNair Academic) then lined out to second in the next at-bat, however an error allowed to runs to score, making it 5-0. The Gothic Knights then score two more in the top of the second. With Ayala on third, Herrick grounded out to plate her teammate and make it 6-0. Two at-bats later after Miller hit a triple, freshman catcher Abby Castro (Clifton, N.J./Passaic County Tech) plated her pitcher with a run-scoring single.

The Green and Gold remained quiet until the top of the fourth when, with two outs, Herrick came home on a wild pitch. The Gothic Knights closed out the scoring in the top of the fifth. With two outs and runners of second and third — senior center fielder Emily Ruiz (Jersey City, N.J./County Prep) reached after getting hit by a pitch, stole second and got to third on a wild pitch, while Ayala also got hit by a pitch and then stole second — Herrick cracked a double to score two runs. The following at-bat closed out the offense for the game as Miller hit a double of her own to score Herrick for the 11-0 final.

Game 2: NJCU 18, Brooklyn 0
Jersey City once again got this one started with an offensive outburst in the top of the first, scoring four times. Senior shortstop Alissa Bikowski (South Amboy, N.J./South Amboy) got it started by reaching with a single and then a pair of wild pitches advanced her to third and then home to make it 1-0. With runners on second and third and two outs, Mya V. reached on an error in the outfield to force in a run and then junior second baseman Hailey Mojica (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) reached on an error in the next at-bat to do the same.

After a scoreless three half innings, NJCU exploded for NINE runs in the top of the third to blow it open against the Bulldogs. Herrick knocked a leadoff double and then moved to third on a wild pitch. Dabbadie then reached on an error in right to score Herrick.With runners on second and third, Mojica hit a one-run single, followed by a RBI-base hit from Mariah V. to make it 7-0. Ruiz then walked to load the bases, followed by a wild pitch which pushed Mojica across the plate. Then, rookie left fielder Victoria Devoto (Ridgefield, N.J./Immaculate Conception) had a RBI single to score another and moments later Ruiz came home on a wild pitch to make it 10-0. With twou outs, Ayala notched her first RBI of the evening with a double to score Devoto. Finally, Mya V. closed out the scoring in the inning with a two-run single to score Herrick and Ayala and make it 13-0.

NJCU closed out the offense for the day's doubleheader in the top of the fourth. With two outs and runners on the corners, Herrick knocked in another run, followed by Dabbadie who reached on an error to score Bikowski from third. Mya V. then hit a one-run single to score Herrick and make it 16-0. Not to be outdone, Mariah V. closed out the evening with a two-run double to score her sister, as well as Dabbadie and make it 18-0.

Highlights:
- In addition to Herrick, the Villanueva sisters each registered four RBI apiece during the doubleheader sweep. Both were also 2-for-6. Mariah scored once, walked and had a double, while Mya scored three times.
- Mojica was 3-for-6 with a walk, scored twice and had one RBI.
- Ayala was just 1-for-4 over the two games, but walked once and was hit by two pitches. She ended up scoring five runs and stealing a base.
- Dabbadie had nine strikeouts in game two and has gone the distance in all four of her starts so far this season. This was her first shutout and she has won three straight decisions.
- Miller picked up her second-straight win after notching five strikeouts in her complete game victory.

Up Next:
The Gothic Knights return to action on Saturday afternoon, March 26, for a 1:00 p.m. home doubleheader against Hunter College at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. The two programs have not faced one another since March 17, 2012. NJCU is looking for its first win over the Hawks in March 20, 2010.